Lighting fixture



Feb. (16 1926. 1,572,880

- w. T. BLACKWELL LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Jan. 18, 1922 INVENTOR WIL AM T. BLAcKwELL,

' ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 16, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,572,880 rarest OFFICE.

WILLIAM THOMAS BLACKWELL, F Yi/ESTFIELD, NEVT JERSEY, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO \VESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC 8: MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A

CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

LIGHTING FIXTURE.

Application filed. January 18, 1922. Serial No. 530,200.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VJILLIAM THOMAS BLAC-KWELL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of \Vestfield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Lighting Fixtures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to lighting fixtures 10 and more particularly to ornamental fixtures employed for indoor lighting.

An object of the invention is to provide the-globe of a lighting unit with a simple and economically constructed cap for an aperture in the globe.

Another object is to provide a cap which will add to the scheme of simplicity desirable in globes of this character.

A further object is to provide a cover which may be quickly removed. and replaced without the manipulation of mechanical elements.

nlthough the improved cover as herein contemplated may have general application as a closure for apertures disposed in various parts of a globe or vessel, the present embodiment is an improvement of my c0- pending application No. 522,746 filed Dec. 16, 1921, lighting fixture and assigned to the estinghouse Lamp Company, in which an aperture is disposed in the lower end thereof for the replacement of electric lamp bulbs.

Heretofore, covers for apertures for the globes of lighting fixtures have included special fastening means such as screws, spring clips, etc. These mechanical elements are undesirable for the reason that they cast unsightly shadows, collect dust and necessitate considerable manual manipulation to secure them to and remove them from the globe. Furthermore, when a light transmitting material such as glass is used considerable care must be exercised to prevent breakage.

It is well known that lighting fixtures which are employed for indoor lighting should efficiently distribute the useful light and should also be constituted so as to appeal to the esthetic sense. In addition the fixture should be designed to harmonize with the appointments of the room in which it is employed and it will therefore be evident that the simplicity of my improved globe but one which may possess the property of any desired degree of transparency.

The invention will be more fully understood by a reference to the following desoription and the accompanying drawings in which, i

Fig. l is an elevation of a globe partly in section showing my improved cap;

Fig. 2 is a fragmenatry view of a globe showing another method of attaching the p;

Fig. 3 showing a cap of a modified construction; and

Fig. i is a bottom view of the globe as shown in Fig. l but on a reduced scale.

The invention provides a cover of a resilient character whichmay be. readily distorted from its original configuration by the application of suitable force. It also possesses sufiicient elasticity to resume its original configuration upon the removal of such force. By employing a cover having the aforementioned property of elasticity, the said cover may have its normal diameter'or area sufficiently greater than that of the aperture to effectively close the same when applied thereto and it may be temporarily distorted to such configuration as to permit its entrance through the aperture. For instance, if the cover is of, a circular shape it may be flexed or bent to an oval or elliptical shape and while thus flexed it may be passed through the aperture of the globe,

whereupon it may be permitted to readjust itself to its original configuration and become seated over the aperture to close the same;

To remove the cover from the globe, the cover is tilted until it takes a position with an edge thereof extending through the aperture, whereupon it may then be forcibly drawn therethrough, the necessary distortion of the cover being produced by its contact with the edges of the globe.

Any suitable flexible material may be em is a fragmentary view of a globe ployed for the cover, for example, celluloid or bakelite. The nraterial may be translucent or opaque, or if an entirely opaque cover is desired, a cap of spun or stamped metal may be employed.

hen practicing the invention, a globe 5 of any suitable shape may be employed. The one illustrated, is provided with an aperture 6 at its lower end fo-rthe replacement of an electric incandescent bulb 7 which is indicated in dotted lines. After a bulb has been inserted, the aperture 6 is closed by a cover or cap 8. The cap is sufliciently greater in diameter than the aperture 6 to provide a flange 9. This flange on the cover supports the latter when in its position as a closure for the globe and also prevents dust or other foreign substances from entering the globe.

The flange 9 of the cap (Fig. 1) is offset with respect to the body of the cap so that when the cap is in position to close the aperture the outer surface of the cap is flush with the outer surface of the globe. In Fig. 2 the flange 9 is omitted and the cap is pro vided with an annular depression 10 in which the edges of the globe surrounding the aperture engage when the cap is associated with the globe. In Fig. 3 a simple form of cover is shown, which comprises a segment of :a sphere. This type is desirable where a cap is required to carry out simplicity in design.

To apply the cover 8 to the aperture, the cover is slightly deformed into an ellipse having its minor axis as indicated by the dotted line 11, of a lesser dimension than the diameter of the aperture 6. The cover is then inserted into the globe, the major axis of the cover being maintained at an angle to the axial line of the globe. After the cap has passed through the apertiu'e 6, it is permitted to resume its original shape, after which it may readily seat itself to provide a cover as shown.

The simplicity of this cap makes it an important and desirable improvement in lighting fixtures, as the globe to which the cap is applied may be of simple construction with out beading or complicated flanges such as are usually employed with caps having me clranical attaching elements.

What is claimed is:

1. A lighting unit comprising a light transmitting globe having an aperture: in the light transmitting portion thereof and a flexible cover having a larger diameter than said aperture, said cover being so constructed that it may be distorted when confined and readjusted when released, whereby said cover may be inserted through said aperture to provide a cover therefor.

I 2. A lighting unit comprising a light transmitting globe having an aperture therein, a flexible cover having a larger diameter than said aperture adapted to be temporarily deformed for entrance through said aperture and subsequently readjusted to its original shape and an annular flange offset with respect to the body of said cover, whereby said body provides a flush surface with the outer surface of the globe when said cover is in position as a closure for said globe.

3. A cap for an aperture in a vessel, said cap being composed of a substantially nonbreakable flexible material adapted to be inserted into said vessel and supported. on the interior surface of said vessel adjacent said aperture.

4:. A lighting unit comprising a lighttransmitting globe having an opening in one portion thereof for the replacement of lamps, a deformable cover for saidopening engaging the innersurface of said globe, and offset means in said cover for providing .an engagement of one portion of the outer surface thereof with the inner surface of said globe, another portion of the outer surface of said cover providing a continuation of said globe conforming to the contour of the outer surface thereof.

5. A lighting unit comprising a lighttransmitting globe having an opening in the bulbous portion thereof and a light-transmitting deformable closure for said opening,

said closure constituting an inwardlyre-- tained element of said globe having an outwardly-disposed surface conforming to the contour of the outer surface of said globe.

6. A lighting unit comprising a lighttransmitting globe having an opening in the normally lower bulbous portion thereof and a deformable closure'for said opening, said closure constituting an inwardly-retained element of said globe having an outwardlydisp-osed surface conforming to the contour of the outer surface of said globe.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 12th day of January, 1922.

WILLIAM THOMAS BLAOKWELL. 

